When, at age 14, Kulap Vilaysack took her father’s side in an argument, her mother replied, “Why are you defending him? He’s not your real dad.” Twenty years later, she’s finally ready to learn what that means.

Origin Story is a deeply personal but universally relevant tale of immigration, identity, conflict, and personal responsibility. In her directorial debut, actor/writer/podcaster Kulap Vilaysack explores her tangled family tree to find out who she is. Through travels to Los Angeles, Minnesota, and Laos, Vilaysack lets the viewer join her in meeting the biological father she never knew. On the road, unforeseen revelations strike, running from the hilarious to the heartbreaking. – KE